Whiffletree-iron



(No Model.) A. J. MARTIN.

WHIPFLETREE IRON.

No. 366,966. Patented July 19, 1887.

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UNlT E STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

AARON J. MARTIN, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

WHiFFLETREE-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,966, dated July 19, 1887.

Application filed De Clllbfl' 2, 188 Serial No. 220,50].

(No model.)

1'0 LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AARON J. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vhitfletree-Irons;

and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, which form part of this specili cation.

My inventionrelatcs to an improvement in single and double tree irons constructed in such a way as to securely hold the two whiffletrees together in operation, the irons being made to fit over and around the singletree and upon the doubletree, and the object being to secure safety in the event the bolt should be lost or broken, and also to provide a suitable adjustment in the iron, adapting it for use of singletrees and doubletrees of various thickness; and it consists in the construction hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is aperspective view of my improved iron, showing its adjustable feature. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of Fig. 1 on the line 00 00, showing the whiffletrees therein. Fig. 3 is a detailedview of the adjustable bar separated from the iron. Fig. 4 is a modified form of my device, showing the iron cast in one piece.

Like letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in each figure of the drawings.

A represents my E-shaped whiffletree-iron, which is of malleable or other suitable iron or brass, having a vertical standard, 13, provided with arms or bars Cand E at its top and bottom projecting at substantially right angles to the standard.

\Vithin the standard 13 there is a vertical slot or mortise, b, for the purpose of securing an adjustable arm or bar, D, between the bars 0 and E. This bar is thickened at its standard end and provided with a tenon, (1, adapted to receive a screw and to fit into and be ad justable up and down in the slot b, while the shoulders a rest against the side of the standard. The forward portion, 0, of the bar D is slightly raised or thickened at the pivotal point where the singletree rests upon it, to enable a tree and easy turning back and forth of the singletree to conform to the movement of the body of the animal in operating it. The tenon of the bar is of such length as to nearly reach through the slot 6, and is secured therein by a screw, f, through a washer, E, which adapts the bar D to be moved up or down to fit the thickness of the singletree by slightly loosening the screw and again drawing it up or tightening it by the same means.

To the front end of the bar 0 and adjustable bar D a safety-guard, F, is secured for the purpose of holding the whiftletree should the bolt holding it be removed or broken, and thereby prevent a serious accident. In Figs. 1 and 2 this guard is made to consist of a strong chain, secured in holes in the ends of the bars, of suflicient length to admit of adjustment. This guard may, however, consist of a rigid bar and be castintegral with the bar 0, and its lower end made to extend down to meet the end of bar D when at its highest adjust-able point, having its lower end and the end of bar D secured together by a slack chain, to admit of the adjustment ofthe bar downward to the extent of the slot 6 in the standard.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the doubletree G and singletrce H are shown in cross-section with boltholes through each of them and the bars, as they appear when in position for use. The hole through the singletree for the retaining or draft bolt is made sufficiently large to admit of a cast-metal thimble, I, which is inserted therein to prevent wear of the bolt directly upon the material of the whiffletree. This thimble is provided with a flange, i, at one end, and is driven down into the hole of the whiflietree until the flange rests in a seat in its upper side, its top surface being flush with the upper side of the whifiietree, in which position it is'prevented from further insertion therein.

Projecting backward and downward from the lower end of the standardB there is a loop, K, cast integral with the standard. This loop is a strap-hold for attaching the whiffletrees to a crossbar in the rear portion of the pole, or to the axle, to regulate the forward movement for use in heavy-draft work.

of the animals when one is more spirited than the other, and also to secure safety from serious accident in case the pole should bestrained and broken at the point of attachment of the doubletree, as is frequently the case.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown a modified construction of my device, which is intended for use when the single and double trees are made of substantially the same thickness of material. In this form the safetyguard F and bar D are cast in one and the same piece and of the same width with the standard B and bar 0. The bar D and lower portion of the guard are made slightly thicker and stronger than the other bars to adaptthem The standard 13 is slightly reduced in width on each side in its upper portion, 9, to enable the singletree to have a greater swing back ward without coming in contact or striking the standard.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A whiffletree-iron consisting of a standard having three arms, one above the other, at substantially right angles thereto, the upper arms being united at their front ends by a safety-guard, as set forth.

2. A whiffletreeiron consisting of a standard having arms at substantially right angles thereto, the middle arm being adjustable to the thickness of the Whifiletrees, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a whiffletree-iron having a standard provided with arms at substantially right angles thereto, of a middle arm adjustable up and down in the standard and united at its front end to the upper arm by a safety-guard, as set forth.

4. The combination, with a whiffletree-iron having a standard provided with a vertical slot and arms at right angles thereto, of a middle arm having a tenon at one end adapted to fit within the slot and to be retained by a screw in any desired position of adjustment, as set forth.

5. The combination, with a whiffletree-iron having a standard provided with a loop at its lower end projecting backward, and arms at right angles thereto extending forward, of a middle arm adjustable up and down in the standard, and a singletree having a thimble with a flanged headin its pivotal hole adapted to fit between said arms, as and for the purpose set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signatn re in presence of twowitnesses.

AARON J. MARTIN.

\Vitnesses:

J. MCDONALD, J. M. HINSON. 

